If walking back to the pavilion had been difficult, walking into the Music Room that evening required a level of physical acting that deserved a medal.
Kaia's inner thighs felt like they had been sanded with grit paper. Every step was a reminder of the rough bark of the oak tree and the relentless grip of the Crown Prince.
"Stop waddling," Victoria hissed, pinching Kaia's elbow as they entered the gilded salon. "You look like a duck with a hip injury."
"I am sore from the gallop," Kaia gritted out, snapping her fan open aggressively. "Some of us actually rode our horses, Victoria. We didn't just sit in the saddle looking decorative."
"I was not decorative," Victoria sniffed, smoothing her silver gown. "I was statuesque. There is a difference."
